Water-excluding door strip



July 24, N56 5. A. WEYL ETAL WATER-EXCLUDING DOOR STRIP Filed July 22,1953 N ORS N E:

hug in 7 INV Bernard Kenneth ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,755,894WATER-EXCLUDING DOOR STRIP Bernard A. Weyl and Kenneth N. Gahagan,Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application July 22, 1953, Serial No. 369,544 Claims. (Cl. 189-46) Thisinvention relates to auxiliary doors, such as storm and screen doors,jalousies, and the like, that are mounted in doorways outside of theusual main doors.

In the use of such an auxiliary door, there is a tendency for rain topenetrate the seam or crevice between the top edge of the door and theframe of the doorway, with the effect that water drains downwardly uponthe inside surface of the door and accumulates upon the sill between themain and auxiliary doors. Efforts have been made to overcome theseobjectionable incidents to the otherwise desirable use of auxiliarydoors, such as the provision of weather-strips, or the grooving of thetop and side edges of the doors to catch and drain away the rainpenetrating the seam at the top of the door. None of the expedients tothis end is without handicap. Weatherstrips are, manifestly, unsightlyand troublesome, while the presence of grooves in the top and side edgesof a door spoils the appearance of the door edges, and, in the case ofaluminum doors, with which this invention is particularly if notessentially concerned, the grooved edges are relatively sharp anddangerous to the fingers of the person using the door, especially if thefingers become caught or pinched between the edge of the door and theframe of the doorway.

In the use of auxiliary doors whose frames or bodies are constructed ofaluminum, it is obviously impossible for the body of a door to be planedalong its edges in such manner as a carpenter usually planes the edgesof a wood-framed screen door, nicely to fit it in the doorway. Due tothis circumstance, the art has turned to the use of extruded aluminum 2strips that are secured to the top and the two jambs of the doorway. The2 strips may be adjusted in their positions in the vertical plane of theframe of the doorway, whereby, when the strips have been properlyadjusted and secured to the said frame, a seat of exactly the propersize is formed for the door. It is to be noted, however, that the use of2 strips does not prevent the penetration of rain in the objectionablemanner alluded to, and as mentioned the practice has been to providegrooves in the edges of the door.

In accordance with the objects of this invention, the undesirable andobjectionable use of grooved edges in aluminum doors is eliminated, andthe infiltration of rain at the top of the door is prevented, by virtueof certain new and useful improvements in the structure of extrudedmetal 2 strips used in mounting the doors.

The invention will be understood upon reference to the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of an auxiliary door, mounted withthe structure of the invention in a doorway of a building which isfragmentarily illustrated;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view, illustrating to larger scale the upperright-hand corner of a Z strip assembly embodying the invention;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, taken on the line III-III of Fig. l, andshowing the top of the frame of the doorway, with a Z strip structure ofthis invention secured frame 5, 5,

of Fig. 3 being the same as Referring to the drawings the frame of adoorway is shown in Fig. 1, and in this doorway an auxiliary door 3 ismounted. The frame 4 of the auxiliary door may be formed of extrudedaluminum sections of conventional form, and the seat for the door isformed of 2 strips 2, 2 secured to the two jambs 5, 5 of the frame ofthe doorway, a top 2 strip 6 secured to the top 7 of said frame, and adoor sill 8. Each of the 2 strips will be understood to comprise twovertical flanges 9 and 10 that extend severally in two horizontallyspaced, parallel vertical planes that parallel the plane of the doorwaydefined by 7. The outer and inner horizontally spaced flanges 9 and 10,respectively, in each Z strip are rigidly interconnected by a web 11.The flanges 10 of the two vertical strips 2, 2 and the horizontal strip6 extend in common plane, up one jamb 5, along the top 7 of the doorframe, and down the opposite jamb 5, providing a peripherally continuousseat against which the door 3 is adapted to seat along the margin of itsinner surface, as indicated at 12 in Fig. 3. The webs 11 of the three Zstrips 2, 6, 2 extend peripherally of the two side and top edges of thedoor 3 and receive such edges of the door" 13 in Fig. 3,. upon the topin a relatively snug seam, as indicated at while the bottom edge of thedoor fits surface of the sill 8, as shown in Fig. l.

The three Z strips 2, 6, 2 are seated upon and secured to the outerfaces of the doorway frame members 5, 7, 5,. wood screws 15 serving forthe purpose. It will be understood that the several 2 strips arepositioned and secured in such positions that the door-receiving openingformed by the Webs ll of the three strips and the sill 8 is of exactlythe proper size snugly to receive the door.

In Fig. 3 it will be perceived that the edges 16 of the door 3 are notgrooved; they are smooth and present no danger to the fingers of theuser. But for the improvements of this invention, however, rain can workits way inwardly through the seam at the top of the door and draindownwardly over the inner surfaces 17 of the door,

as mentioned in the introduction to this specification. The means forpreventing this objectionable infiltration of water, comprise a smallV-shaped gutter or trough portion 18 formed integrally with the Z strip6 used at the top of the doorway. Advantageously, the trough is formedas a V-shaped element located adjacent to the lower edge of the outervertical flange 9 of the Z strip 6- More particularly, the bottom orbottom edge of the trough 18' is located substantially in a horizontalplane that extends through the corner formed by the merging of, thevertical flange 9 with the horizontal web 11 of the Z strip 6. Thetrough 18 is such in form that it may be formed integrally with the bodyof such 2 strip in an aluminum-extruding operation. The V-shaped portion18 lies outwardly beyond the seam 13 between the door and the webportion 11 of Z strip 6 (Fig. 3), and

forms not only a shed or cover for such seam immediately below andwithin the portion 18, but provides a channel which receives rainstriking the doorway structure above the door and running downwardlytoward the seam 13. As shown in the drawing, the strip 6 and its troughportion 18 extend not only entirely across the width of the door, butalso across the upper ends of the Patented July 24,1956

3, edges of the door, whence the water can drain freely downward withoutobjectionable consequences,

Fig. 4 illustrates the manner in which the top 2 strip 6 .is assembledwith ,thetopof the right-hand; stri-p l.v The strip 6 and its troughportion overlie the upperend of,, the-;ver.l;ic al Z-strip. From thisshowingit: willzbe understood that the; opposite end of the Z, strip6-is similarly .assernbledwith, the upper end. of the left-hand Z strip2. Fig. shows how portions of the horizontal web, 1 1;and ver;t ical-,,doon-seat-forming flange 10 are cut andnremoved at 19, and 2t),respectively, to receive in nice fit the edges; 21, 22 ,and 23 of theupperend of the side, Z,strip 2. Andrthel-flangeqportionlit-of the saidstrip 2 -is. cut away; as indicated, to match the endportion. 24 of ,theflange 10 .of aha-top Z,,strip 6., Thus, every efficient ,,an dinexpensive structureof extruded aluminum is provided to, solve, theproblemdescribed.

ltmaybepoted that, the V-shape form of; the trough 18,.is ,importantasit providesewi-ththe body of the Z stripmsection that mayreadilybeextruded of aluminum orother suitable light metal; And: it isfurtherimportanbto, observe that the outer face of the saidtrough 18 is flatand, parallelsthe outer face of the flange 9 with, which it isintegrally ,formed.

Within: the terms of the appended claims various, modiflcationsiwilloccur to theengineer, without departing from the-spirit of theinvention.

We claim:

1.. A Z strip assembly to provide a seat, in a doorway for; an auxiliarydoor comprising two 2. strips for each ofthedoor'jambs and a Zstrip forthe topof said doorway,, each; of said three strips comprisinganextruded metal'section having ;anouterflange,. an inner flange, and;a-,web interconnecting said flanges, the inner flanges of thethreeassembled strips extending in a vertical plane andihe outerflangesextending in a vertical plane spaced from and parallel to thefirst-mentioned plane, with the intereonnecting webs ofv thethreeassembled strips extending in continuity peripherally of. the jambs andtop oL-saiddoorway, and, a longitudinally. extendingcontinuoustroughportion formed integrally with and outstandingupon theouterflangetof said top strip, the. bottom .of said troughportion beinglocatedsubstantially in a hori zontal planeuthathextends.through thevcorner formed by the merging of the. outer, verticalflange with the webof said top, strip and providing with such strip a section-that maybevintegrally formedin .a metal extruding operation, said-top,strip at its,opposite ends overlying the-upper endsof said jamb strips, .whereby theends of said trough portion :on the top strip open-laterally outwardfrom the edges of a door mounted in said doorway and-strip assembha 2.1AZstrip assembly to provide a seat in a doorway foranauxiliary doorcomprising two Z strips for each of, the door jambsand a Z strip for thetop of said doorway, each of said three strips comprising an extrudedmetal section having an outer flange, an inner'flange, and a webinterconnecting said flanges, the innerflanges of the three assembledstrips extending in a vertical plane and the outer flanges extending ina vertical plane spaced from and parallel to the first-mentioned plane,with the interconnecting webs ofthe three assembled strips extending incontinuity peripherally of the jarnbsand top ofsaid doorway, and alongitudinally extending continuous trough portion formed integrallywith and outstanding upon the. outer flange of said top strip, thebottom of said trough portion being locatedsubstantially in ahorizontal. planethat extends through the corner-formed by the. mergingvof the outer, vertical flange with the web'- ofxsaidatopstrip andproviding with such strip a section thatnnaybe integrally formedin ametal extruding operation, -said= top strip-at itsopposite endsoverlying the up-' pen: ends of saidajambstrips; whereby the ends;ofsaidtrougheportionon tl1e-- top-strip'open laterally outward--fromathe edgesof-a door-mounted in saiddoorway and 4., strip assembly,the interconnecting web of said top strip being deleted at the ends ofsuch strip through intervals substantially equal to the breadth of theouter flange of said jamb strips, to provide for the assembly of theouter flanges of said top and jamb strips in said first-mentionedvertical plane.

3. A Z strip assembly to'provide a seat in a doorway for an auxiliarydoor comprising two Z. strips for each of the door jarnbsanda 'Z'stripfor the'top ofsaid doorway, each of said three :stripscomprisingganextruded metal section having an outer-flange, an inner flange, and aWeb interconnecting said flanges, the inner flanges of the threeassembled"'strips-extendingin avertical' plane and the outer flangesextending-:in a vertical plane spaced from and parallel to thefirst-mentioned plane, with the interconnecting webs of the threeassembled strips extending in continuity peripherally of the jambs andtop of said doorway, and. a.-. longitudinallyv extending continuoustrough. portion. .formed .integrally -=with andoutstanding upon theouterflangeeof said top strip, the bottom of said, trough. portionrbeinglocated substantially int a-horizontalplanethat1 extends through thecorner formedw-by the-:mergingrof the outer, vertical flange with: thewebofi said-top'strip .andproviding with such strip a section that,maybe integrally formed in;a metal extrudingoperation, said-top stripatiits'oppositeends overlying the up-. per, ends of saidjarnb. strips,whereby the endsofsaid' troughyportion on -the'top stripiopenlaterally;outward from. the edges of a door -mounted insaid .doorwayandstrip-=assembly,; the interconnecting .web andthe-inner flangevof rsaidtop strip beingrdeleted at each'endtotsueh-,:st-rip' through:=intervals"substantially equalto the breadth of-theouter fla-ngesof-said jamb,strips, to pro vide for the, assembly of theouter flanges of said top:and jamb stripsin said first mentioned-vertical plane;

4. Aihoriz'ontafllysextending Z'; strip "for the tops of doorwayscomprising-ran; extruded metal section having anv outer :flangepositionedzin; auvertical plane; aninner flange parallelwtoand-lspacedzfromi-the outer fiangeyia horizontal .web, integrallyconnectingsaid 1 flanges, said zinner flange and said web formingaiseatportion for a door;.and a continuous horizontalutroughportion:formed orrthefouter fa'ce ofisaidouterflange; the bottom-of said troughportion :being located substantially in -a horizontal plane;thatextendsnhrough the corner formed by the merging ofa-the: outer,"vertical flange. with the web ot said strip,

saidctroughs portion zprovidingwith the strip asectionthatmay beintegrally formed in an extruding operation.

5.I-A horizontallyextending Z strip for tlretopsof doorways..comprisingran. extruded metal section having an. outer:flanges-positioned 'a vertical plane; an innerflange parallel .toxandspacedfrom-theouter flange, a

horizontah ,web; integrally connecting said: flanges, saidinner-flaugeand said-web 'forming a-seat portion fora I door,andtarcontinuous horizontal trough portion-formed on theouter. face ofsaid outerflange, said trough portion being located substantially its ahorizontal-plane-that extends through the corner formed by the mergingof the outer, vertical: flange with the web of said" strip, saidtroughportionprovidingwiththestrip a section that maybeeintegrallyformed in anextrudinggoperation, said trough portiorr-hauingaplaueouter-face spaced from'andpar-ai lelt-to the-.outerface of said outerflange;

References-Citedf'in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

